Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-08-30
ONE OF THE OLD HOMES.


TO the Earliest Days of New Haven's
Settlement-Interest Points About
the Old Mansion.
There is a venerable frame house on Elm
street which would attract no special atten-
| ton of a passer-by, more than that the paint
| has long since dried and the timbers are
old. The house sets back from the street
some distance. An old stone walk leads to
| the front donr, while around to the side is
nothing more than a path. A stranger pass
ing up the walk will see the name Rey nolds
inscribed on an old fashioned plate, fastened
to the door, There is an old-fashioned door
bell, but the bell has been taken off. 1t is
very large house with spacious and commo
dious rooms. And as compared to the mod
ern style house it is queerly shaped.
And yet portion of this house has stood
for nearly two hundred and fifty years and
the main body of the house was built over
hundred years ago.
1t stands at No 20 Elm street, almost d.
rectly across the street from DR.. Lindsley's
residence.
| A part of the house was built in 1888,
the year that New Haven was settled. The
original part is one of the Oldest places of
abode to be found in New Haven or New
England to-day. For years yet 1t will
stand, provided someone does not come
along to tear it down and erect costly resi-
dence of modern style. 1t was one of the
most extensively built houses of the olden
times, and to that reason is due the fact that
it has stood SO long.
There is a certain significance attached to
the dwelling which makes it specially inter-
esting to everybody and makes it more of an
object of curiosity. Mr.. B. Booth, the auc-
tioneer, says that there is good evidence for
believing that this was the very place in
which the 1egicides were concealed for
time after coming over from England. Inc
story goes that they stayed in the darkness
of the cellar, afterward escaping to West
Rock, where they lay in hiding in the cave
which is now known as the Judges, and
from which incident it derived its name.
For the past two years nobody has lived
in the body Of the house, Mrs. Reynolds hav-
ing then moved away, but the wing has been
occupied. The front door opens into very
wide hall, such as are not seen nowadays
The outside doors open in halves in the old
fashioned style, extend through the length
of the house and half way
down there is an arch from the center of
which hangs small and short chandelier
for one light To make the effect still more
deepening there are two alcoves at the fur
Their end of the hall which open out but do
not take up any of the room of the hall. Out
of the one to the left wind the stairs which
take you to the second story, but they are
not visible to one unless he goes into this
alcove. There are no doors opening out of
the hall into the various rooms. Curtains
which once were fancy are hanging in their
stead.
A narrow, dreary and cold stairway leads
from place near the center of the house
into the cellar. And here it is apparent one
reason why this house has had the good for
tune to stand so long and is still in such good
Mr.
there is enough wood in the floor
and vicinity to build some of the
houses which are now going up. Certainly
does it look so. The floor seems to be MOTH
kind of hewn timber. None of it has decayed
and it looks almost as if new. Then to see
the foundation upon which these vast tim
bers are placed would amaze people who have
never seen anything but "ballosn framed"
houses There is almost enough stone here
to build stone house. They are of an inn
mense thickness, and beside the outside circle
TO be found in every house there are numer
GUS rows across the width of the cellar. The
floor is made of bricks packed closely to-
gether at right angles. They were brought
over from Holland No wonder that such
cellar, with its mass of stone and brick, is
cold and lonesome, yet completely safe from
all intruders. Some of the old substantial
houses of the early Knickerboekers were
built of Holland brick, there being no Amer
lean brick in those days.
There are also some old and
notable pictures hanging in the house.
In the front room to the
left as one enters the hall, and as one pulls
aside the curtain and steps into the room
will be seen in yon corner near the street
picture said to be over two hundred years
old. It represents the sale of Joseph. The
paint cannot be very plainly seen. Then IN
the other corner on the same side of the wall
is painting of the original Capitol at Wash
ington: this is encased in frame of old
gold. A steel engraving is suspended from
the back end of the hall of the "Heroes of
the Revolution"
the tables are made of Honduras mahog-
any. This wood is now very rarely seen, as
it is kind which cannot be obtained now
and has not been for years. The ornamental
work on the small pillars which support the
furnace, the work on the doors and the scroll
work on the archways and alcoves is all
done by hand. In those days there was no
other alterations, as there were no machines
for such work The labor on this kind of
work must have been long and tiresome, and
yet it all shows proficiency and one would
hardly notice a great deal of difference.
Over the door at the further end of the hall
is a large colored card with the letters
$685." The house contains many curiosi-
ties altogether too numerous to mention.
One of them is a mortar over two hundred
years old. 1t was used for pounding up
spices. The furniture is antique. An auc-
ton sale of furniture, pictures, etc., at the
old house takes place this morning.
One of the things which attaches to this
house its greatest significance is the fact that
it has been occupied by John Davenport, the
first minister New Haven ever had.